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NEWS
First Shmittah Park Set Up in Jerusalem
By Yechiel Sever
The Jerusalem Municipality, in cooperation with Reishit
Yerushalayim, recently dedicated Eretz Yisroel's first
Shmittah park.
Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky has been working to
advance the project and allocated funding to set up a
facility designed to teach students experientially.
Rabbi Itamar Bar Ezer, director of the Department for
Chareidi Education, says during their visit to the park
students learn about halachos related to Shmittah, covering
ground, hothouses with detached growing surfaces, permitted
work, etc. Rabbonim and public figures worked hard on the
unique learning program, aimed at children from kindergarten
through fourth grade, including presentations, exhibits, a
train ride and a walking tour.
Rabbi Uri Maklev, deputy mayor and chareidi education
commissioner, spearheaded a project to bring a Shmittah study
program presented by educator Rabbi Moshe Yarkoni to every
primary school in the city.
The construction of the school was another building block in
Mayor Lupoliansky's efforts to foster broad public awareness
of halachos related to the seventh year. During the course of
this year the Jerusalem Municipality, in cooperation with the
Beis Medrash LeHalacha BeHisyashvus HaChakla'is, headed by
HaRav Yosef Efrati, has been promoting a Shmittah project at
local authorities around the country. These activities have
enabled many cities to keep Shmittah for the first time in
public areas under their jurisdiction.
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